Report I2016-1 Recommendation 30 Responses

Report I2016-1: Investigations of Improper Activities by State Agencies and Employees: Misuse of State Resources, Forgery, False Time Reporting, Financial Interests Disclosure Violations, and Waste of State Funds (Release Date: February 2016)

Case Number I2014-0948

Recommendation #30 To: State Hospitals, Department of

State Hospitals should provide training and coaching to supervisors and management regarding how to hold psychiatrists and other exempt employees accountable for their hours worked and how to pursue disciplinary action if necessary.

Agency Response From October 2017

State Hospitals stated that it provided training in August 2017, September 2017, and October 2017 to supervisors and management to reinforce the importance of accuracy in attendance records and the types of disciplinary actions related to attendance issues.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Status:
Fully Implemented

Agency Response From February 2017

State Hospitals reported that in May 2016 it approved two administrative directives regarding absence and attendance reporting and training for supervisors and managers, and it emailed a copy of the directives to all staff at Patton State Hospital. In addition, State Hospitals stated that it intends to initiate training sessions for supervisors in March 2017. State Hospitals plans to include the following elements in the training course: absence and attendance reporting and monitoring, preventing attendance abuse, and correcting attendance abuse.

Agency Response From March 2016

State Hospitals reported that in January 2016 Patton issued an absence and attendance reporting memorandum to managers and supervisors, as well as all other employees. In addition, the executive director at Patton met with the managers and supervisors to discuss the memorandum. However, even though Patton has started the process, State Hospitals has not provided sufficient information to ensure that it actually trained the supervisors and managers about how to hold exempt employees accountable and how to pursue disciplinary action.